Ford shifts gear as old rivalry hots up

A classic Ford versus Holden battle is looming as the two local rivals look to defend their shrinking large-car turf. The traditional rivalry is set to intensify in both the performance and fuel-efficiency arenas, with Ford about to bolster its V8 range with a new 5.0-litre engine, while, longer term, Holden plans electric and hybrid power to meet shifting consumer demands.

Ford fired its first shot of the year across Holden's bows this week with the announcement the ZF-sourced six-speed automatic transmission would be standard on all six-cylinder Falcons, delivering fuel economy savings to the sedan of between 2 per cent and 5.7 per cent.

Average claimed fuel use for the 4.0-litre, 195kW Falcon is now 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres.

The figure is still above the 9.3L/100km claimed for the most efficient 3.0-litre V6-powered Commodore, though Ford will next year introduce a four-cylinder turbocharged engine expected to achieve fuel use as low as 8.0L/100km.

Ford will be hoping the move gives the Falcon further sales momentum, with the Blue Oval's large car increasing market share so far this year, while the Commodore's has slipped, despite remaining Australia's best-selling vehicle.

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The minor model update arrives at a time when Ford Australia is preparing to celebrate the Falcon nameplate's 50th anniversary. As well as special badging, Ford will also add standard Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, in an effort to inject value into the vehicle that's also arrived with minor price increases on some models. Prices rise between $100 and $1100 across the Falcon sedan range, with the base model XT now starting at more than $40,000 (from $40,290 plus on-road and dealer costs).

The Falcon, however, is still the only locally made large car not to get curtain airbags fitted standard on all models, with Ford charging $300 for a potentially life-saving feature in side impact collisions.

The V8-powered XR8 (both sedan and ute) is not affected by this 50th anniversary update and Ford says that "details regarding plans for the iconic XR8 nameplate will be revealed at a later date".

Ford Australia president Marin Burela recently hinted that something special is in store for the Falcon XR8, which struggles in the sales race against the rival Commodore SS. "All I say to the fans of XR8s, performance vehicles, XR6s . . . there is some exciting stuff out there," he said.

Ford is reportedly working on a supercharged version of the 5.0-litre V8 engine - codenamed Coyote - that's also used in the Mustang in the US. From June, the new V8 will replace the ageing 5.4-litre V8 and is expected to deliver more power while adhering to stricter emissions regulations that come into force on July 1.

While smaller in capacity than the rival Holden and HSV V8s - which measure either 6.0 or 6.2 litres - adding a supercharger would further boost power. Some sources have suggested Ford will have three different tunes of the supercharged engine, to be used in the XR8, GT and a born-again GTHO set to become the performance hero in the Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) range as early as next year.

The XR8 could get more than 300kW of power, about 10 per cent more than the rival Commodore SS. Rumours are also circulating that the iconic Falcon GT could arrive with about 330kW of power - up on HSV's 317kW or 325kW (depending on the model) - while a born-again GTHO could deliver 360kW, putting it in the realms of more expensive European-sourced performance cars.

Arch-rival Holden appears to be focusing its efforts more heavily on reduced fuel use and improved environmental performance. The brand is still working on incremental improvements, such as the V8 that can temporarily shut down four cylinders, and a more efficient direct-injection V6.

Having committed to bring the Chevrolet Volt petrol-electric plug-in car to Australia in 2012, Holden has hinted it is looking to adapt hybrid or electric vehicle technology to its locally made vehicles.

"Ultimately, it means focusing on the development of electrically driven vehicles including extended-range electric vehicles and fuel cells," Holden's director of energy and environment Richard Marshall said.

One of Holden's big drawcards this year will be the arrival of Commodores tuned to run on E85, a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol.

The Commodore is also due for its most significant styling update in four years with the arrival of the VF model. It is expected within months, bringing a fresher, yet evolutionary look.